Paper clip dispenser



I 1969 s. L.. LONG, JR 3,422,989

PAPER CLIP DISPENSER Filed March 30, 1967 INVENTOR.

544/ L. lax/5J8 JrmeA Ew United States Patent 3,422,989 PAPER CLIPDISPENSER Sam L. Long, Jr., 1819 Peachtree St. NE., Atlanta, Ga. 30309Filed Mar. 30, 1967, Ser. No. 627,223 US. Cl. 221186 Int. Cl. B65h 3/244 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Thepresent invention relates to a hand operated automatic paper clipdispenser. More particularly, the present invention relates to anapparatus which receives and retains a supply of paper clips andprovides individual paper clips upon the application of downwardpressure to the cover of the apparatus.

In the past, many devices have been proffered to solve the somewhatvexing problem of convenient storage of individual items such as paperclips while also providing an easy and simple means for obtaining asingle item for use. In many of these prior art devices, the item to bedispensed is disposed in a somewhat vertical position and then isvertically ejected through a downwardly depressed cover. These deviceshave fallen short of their ultimate goal since they tend to jam andbecome inoperative in use. Moreover, the particular design of a paperclip causes vertically ejecting devices to be unsuitable for use withpaper clips.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore a primary object of the presentinvention to produce a paper clip dispenser which is quite simple indesign and easy in operation but extremely long lasting in use.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a paper clipdispenser which automatically disposes a single clip in a verticalposition protruding through the cover of the apparatus whereby that clipmay be easily removed.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a paper clipdispenser which is automatic in operation and relatively jam-proof inlong use.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a dispenser whichstores paper clips in a horizontal position and selectively pivots oneclip to a vertical position for removal from the dispenser.

Briefly described, the paper clip dispenser of the present inventionwhich achieves the above objects and possesses other objects, featuresand advantages generally comprises an elongate paper clip receiving trayresiliently carried within a similarly elongate housing. Immediatelybelow one end of the receiving tray and aligned with a transverse slotformed in the bottom surface of that tray is a camming finger designedto pivot a clip lying over the slot from a horizontal position to avertical position when the receiving tray is driven downwardly. Clipslying over the slot are maintained initially in a horizontal position bya pair of springs which urge a plurality of side-by-side laterallyaligned clips against an end wall of the tray immediately adjacent theslot formed in the bottom surface of the tray. A pivot lobe protrudesinwardly from the end wall and registers within an end of the paper clipabutting the end wall and releasably provides a point about which theclip pivots when driven to a vertical position by the camming finger.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent from the following description when taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings, wherein like characters of referencedesignate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view of the presentinvention showing a paper clip in a vertical removable position.

FIG. 2 is a plan partially exploded view showing portions of the basebroken away.

FIG. 3 is a vertical section taken along lines 33 of FIG. 1 and showingthe first position of the clip in solid lines and the second position ofthe clip in broken lines.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a portion of the clip receiving tray showingthe position of the camming finger and the pivot lobe.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3,the paper clip dispenser 10 generally comprises an elongatesubstantially rectangular base '12 having upstanding side and end walls14 and 16, respectively, and a cover 18 having downwardly depending sideand end walls 20 and 22, respectively. The side and end walls 20 and 22of cover 18 are constructed and arranged so that cover 18 may nest overthe side and end walls 14 and 16 of base 12. Base 12 further includes alip portion 24 extending outwardly from the lowermost portions of theside and end walls 14 and 16. Cover '18 abuts this lip portion 24 whenin a nesting relationship with base 12.

A pair of spaced apart coil springs 26 extend upwardly from a generallycentral portion of base 12 and support an elongate paper clip receivingtray 28. Tray 28 consists of a bottom wall 30, upstanding side walls 32,arcuately joining bottom wall 30, rear wall 34 and front wall 36. Rearwall 34 carries a pair of telescoping springs 38 which in turn carry adrive plate 40 of a size and shape conforming to the interiorcross-sectional dimensions of tray 28. Springs 38 and drive plate 40cooperate to produce a system which urges paper clips toward front wall36. Front wall 36 includes an internally protruding, gently arcuatepivot lobe 42 spaced inwardly from one side wall 32 a distancesufiicient to easily permit the accommodation of a U-shaped end of apaper clip between the lobe and the side wall.

As shown best in FIGS. 3 and 4, bottom wall 30 includes a slot 44immediately adjacent front wall 36. Slot 44 begins at the juncture ofside wall 32 and bottom wall 30 remote from lobe 42 and extends acrossthe bottom wall toward the lobe and terminates prior to juxtapositionwith lobe 42. The cessation of slot 44 leaves a support section 46 inbottom wall 30 immediately below lobe 42. Support section 46substantially approximates in length the width of a vertical paper clipand constitutes that portion of the tray 28 which supports the clip inits vertical position.

Disposed immediately below slot 44 is a camming finger 48 rigidlymounted to base 12. Finger 48 has a length and thickness closelyapproximating the length and thickness of slot 44. The thickness of slot44 and finger 48 in turn closely approximate the width of one standardpaper clip. Finger 48 includes a substantially horizontal top edge 50, asubstantially vertical side edge 52 adjacent lobe 42 and a gentlyarcuate joining edge 54 integrally joining side edge 52 and top edge 50.Finger 48 has a height suflicient to place its top edge 50 immediatelybelow a horizontally displaced paper clip lying over slot 44 when tray28 is in its upward-most position. Top edge 50 together with arcuateedge 54 closely approximate in length the length of slot 44 so that astray 28 is depressed finger 48 passes through slot 44 and top edge 50and arcuate edge 54 engage a paper clip lying thereabove.

Cover 18, as previously described, includes side and end walls 20 and 22which generally conform in length and width to the side and end walls 14and 16 of base 12 and define an interior area sufficient to receive theside and end walls 14 and 16 in a nesting relationship. Cover 18 furtherincludes a top wall 56 which defines a transverse channel 58 adjacentone of the ends of cover 18. Channel 58 is constructed and arranged toalign with both slot 44 formed in tray 28 and a paper clip lyingadjacent front wall 36 over slot 44. Channel 58 is also of a widthsufficient to permit the edgewise passage of a paper clip therethrough.Therefore, when cover 18 is placed over base 12, the under surface oftop wall 56 engages the top-most surface of rear wall 34 and front wall36 of receiving tray 28. Moreover, the paper clip lying immediatelyabove slot 44 in tray 28 will lie immediately below channel 58.

OPERATION OF THE DISPENSER In operation, cover 18 is removed from base12 and drive plate 40 is retracted toward rear wall 34 of receiving tray28. The retraction of plate 40 compresses telescoping springs 38 andincreases their urging force toward front wall 36. While maintainingplate 40 in a retracted position, several paper clips are placed in tray28 in a side-byside horizontal arrangement standing on their elongateedges. Opposite ends of each paper clip engage upstanding side walls 32which serve to confine the clips in an aligned fashion.

Plate 40 is then gently released so that it engages the rearmost clipand urges the entire series of aligned clips toward front wall 36. Theforce of springs 38 against plate 40 drives the forwardmost clip intocontact with front wall 36. With the forwardmost clip in contact withthe front wall, lobe 42 registers within one U-shaped end portion of theforwardmost clip. In this position, the forwardmost clip liesimmediately over slot 44 but is restrained from dropping through thatslot by the combination of the driving force of springs 38 urging theclip against front wall 36 and the presence of lobe 42 within one end ofthe clip. Tray 28 is in its normal up position with camming finger 48disposed immediately below slot 44 and out of registration within thatslot.

Cover 18 is then positioned over base 12 and side and rear walls 14 and16 so that channel 58 aligns with slot 44 and the forwardmost paperclip. The device is now loaded with paper clips and ready for use withno clip extending through channel 58.

To maneuver a paper clip into position for removal from the dispenser,cover 18 is depressed thereby driving tray 28 and its paper clipsdownwardly against the tension of support springs 26. As the tray movesdownwardly, top edge 50 and arcuate edge 54 of camming finger 48 enterslot 44 and engage the forwardmost paper clip. Further movement of thetray downward causes the forwardmost paper clip to pivot about lobe 42and pass along arcuate edge 54 as finger 48 continues to pass throughslot 44. As the clip pivots, its moving end passes upwardly throughchannel 58 in cover 18. In the covers lowermost position, the undersurface of top wall 56 engages the top surface of side and rear walls 14and 16 of base 12. Moreover, finger 48 protrudes through slot 44 to thedegree that substantially vertical side edge 52 lies alongside one sideof the forwardmost paper clip, now in a substantially vertical position.In this vertical position, the clip rests against support section 46 oftray 28 and is still urged against front wall 36 by telescoping springs38.

Releasing the pressure on cover 18 permits springs 26 to drive tray 28and cover 18 upwardly to their normal position. The forwardmost paperclip now protrudes vertically through slot 58 and is ready for easyremoval from the dispenser. By grasping the clip along its exposedportion and pulling upwardly, the lowermost U-shaped portion of the clippasses over lobe 42 against the tension of springs 38 and slides out ofthe dispenser.

Upon removal of the vertically extending paper clip, spring 38 urges thenext clip into horizontal position abutting front wall 36, immediatelyover slot 44. This second horizontal clip is then in position to bepivoted to a vertical removing position upon depressing cover 18.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired to besecured by Letters Patent is:

1. A paper clip dispenser comprising a paper clip support tray includingat least one end wall and means for biasing a stack of aligned paperclips flat against said end wall, a positioning lobe projecting fromsaid end wall for extending into the web of the paper clip adjacent saidend wall, and cam means movable with respect to said support tray intocontact with the paper clip adjacent said end wall for pivoting thepaper clip adjacent said end wall about said lobe and with respect tothe remaining paper clips of the stack of aligned paper clips.

2. A paper clip dispenser comprising a housing including a coverdefining an opening therein and a base, said cover and said base beingmovable toward and away from each other, a paper clip receiving traydisposed within said housing and resiliently supported by said base andmovable with said housing, said tray including a support surface and afront wall, means for biasing a stack of paper clips against said frontwall along said support surface, said front wall having an inwardlyprotruding pivot lobe thereon for projection into the web of the paperclip adjacent said front wall, said support surface defining a slotadjacent said front wall and in alignment with the opening of saidcover, a camming finger rigidly afiixed to said base and positioned sothat upon movement of said tray toward said base said camming fingerpasses through said slot to strike the paper clip on said tray adjacentsaid front wall and pivot it about said pivot lobe until it protrudesthrough the opening of said cover.

3. A paper clip dispenser as recited in claim 2 wherein said cammingfinger has a substantially horizontal top edge, a substantially verticalside edge and an integral arcuate edge joining said horizontal andvertical edges, said horizontal and arcuate edges having a lengthclosely approximating the length of said slot in said receiving tray.

4. A paper clip dispenser as recited in claim 3 wherein said paper clipreceiving tray includes an upstanding rear wall, and at least onetelescoping spring aflixed at one end to said rear wall and having adrive plate affixed to its opposite end, said spring being constructedand arranged to urge a plurality of paper clips against said front wallof said tray and cause said lobe to register within one U-shaped endportion of the forwardmost clip within said tray.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/1951 Jennings 221-187 7/1959White 22l-224 WALTER SOBIN, Primary Examiner.

